The Butler County commissioners on Wednesday approved two change orders for the new office building construction project, reducing the cost by $20,066.

Vendrick Construction of Brookfield, Ohio, the general contractor for the project, receives an additional $12,052 for unforeseen cutting into the former prison foundation wall.

But the company also credits the county $32,118 for not having to replace roof insulation on the government center.

The four-level office building is being erected at the site of the former county prison along Vogely Street.

According to John Campbell, director of county facilities and operations, the prison foundation was deeper than expected.

Vendrick's original contract was for $6.1 million.

Along with construction of the new office building, the nearly $12 million project entails repairing the government center and courthouse roofs as well as replacing three air conditioning units on the government center roof.

Work is set to be done in August 2015.

The county commissioners awarded a five-year contract with Environmental Coordination Services & Recycling of Cochranton in Crawford County to collect hazardous waste and electronics.If the company collects the same amount as in 2013, it will be paid $133,759 based on the rates charged for types of items.The county's annual cost for the collection program, which runs throughout the year, is between $2,000 and $3,000 to administer it and pay half the advertising costs.The company's costs are paid by fees charged to those throwing away waste and by grant money from the state Department of Environmental Protection.According to county Recycling & Waste Management, more than 101 tons of hazardous waste and 109 tons of electronics have been collected since the program began in 2010.ECS & R, the current hazardous waste collector, submitted the lower of two fee schedules.The other proposal was estimated to cost roughly $40,000 more in 2015, or $195,000 over five years.The next 2014 collection is Aug. 30 in Evans City. Anyone wanting to dispose of hazardous waste or electronics then should call ECS & R at 866-815-0016.

The commissioners approved two agreements with the U.S. Department of the Interior for placement of weather and flood gauging stations near Frishkorn Bridge in Lancaster Township and Croll Bridge in West Liberty.Kevin Gray, county planning/bridge manager, said in an interview the stations, which are 3-foot-by-3 -foot boxes placed four feet above ground with equipment installed in the respective waterways, will monitor rainfall and water temperature for more than three years.

The commissioners approved two contracts for municipal projects.Mahoning Builders of New Castle was awarded a $42,226 contract for replacing sidewalks in Eau Claire.Wiest Asphalt Products & Paving was awarded a $186,298 contract to pave Church Road in Penn Township.Both projects are funded through each municipality's Community Development Block Grant money.The commissioners also reallocated $4,837 of Jefferson Township's CDBG funds to install a pool lift in Laura Doerr Park.The lift, which will have hand controls, will enable people who use wheelchairs to lower themselves into the pool.

The commissioners amended contracts with two attorneys who provide legal representation at mental health commitment hearings to raise their monthly rates from $1,500 to $2,000.Attorney Joy Maffei represents mental health service clients while attorney Cori Dunn represents the county Mental Health department at those hearings.This is the first increase of those retainer fees since 1999.